RECOFTC
FLOURISH

FLOURISH National Inception Workshop in Viet Nam

The National Inception Workshop on "Production-driven Forest Landscape Restoration under REDD+ through Private sector – Community Partnerships" (FLOURISH) is held in Nghe An province from 17-18 December 2018.
Visit a model of community forest management in Dien Chau district
(c) Cintapo, RECOFTC - Viet Nam

From 17-18 December 2018, RECOFTC - Viet Nam Country Programme and Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund organize the National Inception Workshop on "Production-driven Forest Landscape Restoration under REDD+ through Private sector – Community Partnerships" (FLOURISH) in Nghe An province. 

Visit a model of community forest management in Dien Chau district
Visit a model of community forest management in Dien Chau district

According to Mr. Nguyen Khac Lam, Director of Nghe An FPD Fund “Que Phong and Quy Chau are mountainous districts and their areas of natural forest and plantations is quite big. These districts are also famous with traditional craft villages using non timber forest products (NTFP) such as rattan-bamboo products; incense products, fabric weaving, medicinal plants.. In the national inception workshop, all participants will discuss and identify 4 communes that are the most suitable with FLOURISH requirements”.

Natural forest in Tuong Duong district, Nghe An
Sang le forest in Tuong Duong district

In the opening speech, Mr. Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People Committee emphasized that “Nghe An province has the biggest area of forest and forestry land; the area covered by forest reaches to 57,7%. It is potential to develop forests plantations for the needs of timber and building materials production in province. On the date of 29th September 2018, Nghe An Provincial People Committee approved the updated versions of Provincial REDD+ Action Plan (PRAP) for period of 2018-2020 and vision to 2030. It enable policy environment for FLOURISH activities in Nghe An province. The 419 km long border between Nghe An and 3 provinces of Lao PDR is the longest international border with Laos in Vietnam. In recent years, many international cooperation activities in forest protection and development, forest fire control, illegal timber and forest products movement have well implemented by Nghe An province (Viet Nam) and Hua Phan, Xiêng Khoang, Bolykhamxay provinces (Lao PDR). I believe that under FLOURISH project, the international cooperation will be more encouraged”.

The national inception workshop of FLOURISH project in Nghe An is received participation and consideration of many relevant stakeholders at provincial and district level, such as representatives from Provincial People Committee, Quy Chau and Quy Hop District People Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Foreign Affair, Department of Finance, Department of Industry, Department of Planning and Investment, Department of Forest Protection and Development, Quy Chau and Que Phong District of Forest Protection and Development, University of Vinh, and several private enterprises of NTFP and craft products.

Rattan and bamboo production
Rattan and bamboo production

“Local enterprises need both technical and financial support from projects and government in creating a sustainable connection with local communities through the product value chains, aims to build community capacity as long-term and sustainable material suppliers; and to strengthen capacity on market access for enterprises. Forest Steward Council certificate for forest plantations of communities and household groups are expectation from local enterprises such as Phu Quy Company under FLOURISH project”, Mr. Le Quoc Thanh, Director of TH Phu Quy, said.  

Mr. Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People Committee attends the workshop
Mr. Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People Committee attends the workshop

 

“I would like to highly appreciate the participation of all relevant stakeholders to the FLOURISH National Inception Workshop, especially Mr. Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People Committee. Through FLOURISH, RECOFTC in Viet Nam will work closely with Nghe An FPD Fund and INBAR in coordination, cooperation and co-organization of project activities for contribution to forest landscape restoration via REDD+ mechanism in Que Phong and Quy Chau districts, and creation of partnership among private sector and local community”, noted Dr. Chandra Silori, Deputy Executive Director of RECOFTC.

 

FLOURISH project "Production-driven Forest Landscape Restoration under REDD+ through Private sector – Community Partnerships" is proposed by RECOFTC, Nghe An FPD Fund and other partners and submitted to International Fund for Climate Initiatives (IKI), under the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the Government of Germany. The project will be implemented for 4 years from 2018 to 2022 in 5 districts of 3 countries in Lower Mekong Sub-region: Bokeo and Luang Prabang districts (Lao PDR), Nan province (Thailand) and Nghe An (Viet Nam).

FLOURISH objective is to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation potential of forests through innovative and production-driven forest landscape restoration (FLR), with 4 outputs:

- Output 1: Capacity of local communities and government is enhanced on PLUP, forest resource assessment is carried out and legal rights are strengthened to ensure incentives for active engagement in developing forest restoration pathways.

- Output 2: Collaboration between communities and private sector is enhanced for sustainable forest management and equitable trade through demonstrated efficient practices.

- Output 3: The assessed value chains of wood, bamboo and other NTFP products are used to inform the business model design for attracting investments and subsequently generate livelihoods improvements.

- Output 4: Results from pilot sites are strategically communicated at various levels, from sub-national to regional (e.g. ASEAN, ASFN, GMS corridors) and international levels (e.g. AFOLU, UNFCCC-COP).